Lake Erie EverStart Practice, Sandusky, Ohio
Dan writes:
My number-one concern here on Lake Erie is the wind. Without ever having been here, I already know that if the wind is calm I’ll be making a long run out to the far islands or across the lake to Canada. That’s where the big fish are.
I was up this morning at 4am, reviewing my lake maps as well as any email messages I had filed containing information on fishing this area. Shortly before seven I launched the boat in Sandusky Bay, and with assurances from the marina that the winds were not going to be bad today, headed out into the big lake.
After running about ten miles out to one of the big shoals, I settled down in the midst of about thirty other boats, some bass boats but many of them charter boats, all working this shoal. I tossed out a tube in 25 feet of water and dragged it behind the boat as I pulled out some more rods and other equipment. By the time I was ready to stand up and fish, I had a three-and-a-half pound smallmouth jumping behind the boat trying to spit my tube. Off to a good start.
I worked that area for another hour though and never got another bite, so I left and headed off to another shoal. I arrived and tossed out my tube, and it never hit bottom before my line started thumping. This time I boated a two-and-a-half pound’er. Again I worked this shoal for about an hour, and again I never got another bite.
My plan for today was to hit as many different areas, islands and shoals, as I could. I traveled all the way up to Pelee Island in Canada, then moved west and fished my way back down the Bass Islands. I burned thirty gallons of gas and fished at least twenty different areas, but other than those first two fish this morning I never got another bite all day! After such a promising start, this was very disappointing.
Annie writes:
I slept in and got caught up on some much needed rest. Then, I spent the majority of the day trying to get internet access with our cell phone. I had no luck and am very concerned, because my final school paper is due this week for my college course and I MUST get online. After finally giving up on this, I caught up on my offline-computer work, then sat out to read a book. It was actually quite nice to just let things go for a few hours.
Dan came home around 7pm, and just as I was lighting the grill he informed me that he was taking me & Cooper-dog out for a surprise. We got in the car and drove about a mile to this beach, and it was so nice. We took off our shoes and walked way out in the water. Two hundred yards out the water was only up to our knees. Copper loved it, he could run around and play.
Back in the truck we hooked the computer up to the cell-phone and in this location, with great difficulty, we were able to get online just long enough to send and receive email messages. We came home around nine and were quite hungry, and the grill I had lit at seven had just enough heat left to cook hot dogs.